Japan uses 'alarming' tactics in whale vote

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Anti-whaling nations were one vote short of blocking Japan's
efforts to overturn a 20-year moratorium on commercial whaling,
Environment Minister Ian Campbell said yesterday.

Before flying out to the International Whaling Commission's
meeting in South Korea, Senator Campbell told The Sun-Herald
that Japan had been engaging in "disturbing" and "alarming" tactics
to strong-arm smaller nations into backing its plans.

Senator Campbell refused to reveal his "intelligence" on the
Japanese tactics before Wednesday's vote, saying: "They will be
revealed in due course, but what we are hearing is very, very
disturbing.

"They don't care if they win by one vote. This is their big
chance. The intelligence we've got would scare you to bits. It's
alarming."

The complicated process that would allow Japan to overturn the
moratorium would begin if it won the go-ahead from delegates to
introduce a Revised Management Scheme.

Either 62, 63 or 64 countries will vote. Anti-whaling nations
such as Australia don't want a revised scheme on the table, fearing
that pro-whaling nations would push to reword the scheme to allow
the resumption of commercial whaling.

Senator Campbell said that even anti-whaling nations might cave
in on a revised scheme - in the mistaken belief that commercial
whaling would remain banned or that only limited whaling be
allowed.

In the tactical game that has been played since last year's vote
was won narrowly by anti-whaling forces, Japan and other
pro-whalers argue that a majority vote to revise the management
scheme would be a de facto agreement to reintroduce commercial
whaling.

Senator Campbell said he was fearful that countries that had
declared themselves as anti-whaling could buckle under Japanese
pressure.

Senator Campbell would argue against Japan's push for secret
ballots at the meeting. Japan said secret ballots were necessary to
allow smaller countries to avoid being "bullied".